Associate Scientist / Meat

Kerry; Beloit (WI); On-site; USD 70,100 - 122,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) plan with contributions

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Kerry, located in Beloit, Wisconsin, is seeking a qualified individual for a role specializing in meat product development. The successful candidate will work with a collaborative RD&A team to develop solutions in meat science, focusing on various processed meat applications.

This position offers responsibilities that include executing application projects, conducting hands-on work in both laboratory and processing environments, and collaborating closely with cross-functional teams. The pay range is $70,100 to $122,000 annually, complemented by a competitive benefits package.

Qualifications

• 1–5 years of experience in food or meat product development.
• Hands-on experience with meat processing or product formulation.
• Understanding of ingredient functionality and food safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Support application and innovation projects from trial execution to data analysis.
• Conduct development work in laboratory and meat processing environments.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to execute projects.

Skills

Meat Science

Animal Science

Food Science

Product Development

Food Processing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Meat Science, Animal Science, Food Science, or related field

Job description

This role is ideal for someone with a background in Meat Science, Animal Science, or Food Science who enjoys working directly with meat products, processing equipment, and product development activities. You will gain exposure to sausage, turkey, roast beef, and other processed meat applications while partnering closely with cross‑functional teams and customers to deliver innovative solutions.

You will be part of a collaborative RD&A team focused on developing and applying Food Protection, Taste, and Functional ingredient solutions for the Meat market, supporting both customer innovation and commercial product optimization.

Key responsibilities

• Support and execute application and innovation projects from experimental design through trial execution, data analysis, and communication of results across meat and poultry applications.
• Conduct hands‑on development work in laboratory, pilot plant, and meat processing environments, including product formulation, processing, and evaluation.
• Design and perform application trials, interpreting results to translate scientific insights into practical, scalable solutions that meet customer and market needs.
• Develop and optimize products including processed meat applications such as sausages, deli meats, turkey, roast beef, and other protein systems.
• Provide technical support for customer and commercial projects, including troubleshooting, product optimization, and participation in technical discussions and customer presentations.
• Collaborate with Applications, Culinary, Commercial, Marketing, Sensory, Regulatory, and R&D teams to execute projects aligned with business objectives.
• Document and communicate technical findings through reports, trial summaries, and presentations for both technical and non‑technical audiences. Participate in sensory programs and product evaluations to support application development and validation.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives involving laboratory methods, pilot plant operations, and application workflows.
• Support customer visits, demonstrations, and application trials at Kerry and customer locations.
• Maintain a safe, clean, and organized work environment while adhering to quality, food safety, and environmental standards.

Qualifications and skills

• Bachelor's degree in Meat Science, Animal Science, Food Science, Food Process Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Hands‑on experience with meat processing, food processing, formulation, or product development through academic projects, internships, research programs, or industry experience.
• Strong interest in meat science, meat processing, and applied product development.
• 1–5 years of experience in food or meat product development, processing, applications, or manufacturing environments.
• Experience working in pilot plant, meat processing, manufacturing, or USDA‑regulated environments.
• Understanding of ingredient functionality including proteins, collagen, stocks, broths, starches, gums, flavors, and food protection systems.
• Foundational knowledge of food chemistry, meat science, microbiology, sensory science, and food processing.
• Experience conducting and documenting experiments in a structured, scientific manner.
• Mechanical aptitude and comfort operating, troubleshooting, and maintaining pilot plant and processing equipment.
• Experience working directly with customers or supporting customer‑facing innovation projects.

The pay range for this position is $70,100- $122.000 in Annual Salary. Kerry typically does not hire an individual at the top or near the top of the range, as we are a pay‑for‑performance company, and this range is set to continue to reward performance annually while in role. Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. The specific compensation offered to a candidate within the above range may be influenced by a variety of factors including skills, qualifications, experience, and internal equity. Kerry offers a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, paid time off, a 401(k) plan with employee and company contribution opportunities, Employee Share Plan, Life, disability, and accident insurance, and tuition reimbursement.

Kerry is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. Kerry will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditional upon the successful completion of a background investigation and drug screen. Additional information can be found at: Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal (dol.gov).